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Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced Minor League Baseball league operating in the state of Florida. Class A is the middle of five classifications of minor leagues (Triple-A, Double-A, A, Short-Season A and Rookie) that are affiliated with Major League Baseball teams. Most players in the Florida State League do not reach that level until their third or fourth year of professional play. The majority of teams in the league play in the spring training facility of the Major League Baseball teams with which they are affiliated (for example, Tampa for the Yankees' affiliate, Port St. Lucie for the Mets' affiliate, Lakeland for the Tigers' affiliate, Clearwater for the Phillies' affiliate, etc.). Although the level of play is high, attendance tends to be lower than in other minor leagues, typically in the range of 500–1,000 people per game. The league originated in 1919 with teams in Bartow, Bradenton, Lakeland, Orlando, Sanford, and Tampa, Florida. The league closed down in 1928 and resumed play in 1936. It has continued uninterrupted, except for a four-year (1942–1945) suspension during World War II. The league was realigned following the 2008 season, and is currently divided into two divisions: North and South. The twelve member teams play a 140 game schedule with 70 games at home and 70 games on the road (20 against geographically closest division opponent, 18 against each of the other 4 division teams, 8 against each of the 6 non-division opponents). The six team divisions play a split season with the first half ending in June and the second half ending in September. Four teams participate in the play-offs. Winners of both halves within each division play each other in a best-of-three game series for the Division Championships. If there is a repeat division winner, a wild card team will qualify for the play-offs. The Division Champions will move on to the League Championship Series and play a best-of-five game series. In 2009, the Florida State League established a Hall of Fame commemorating the league's great players, managers, owners, and umpires. The awards and ceremonies for the inaugural class will take place at the FSL's winter meetings in Daytona Beach in November. The Tampa Yankees defeated the Charlotte Stone Crabs 3-2 in the 2009 Florida State League Championship Series. FSL Champions *1919 Sanford Celeryfeds and Orlando Caps (co-champions) *1920 Tampa Smokers *1921 Orlando Tigers *1922 St. Petersburg Saints *1923 Orlando Bulldogs *1924 Lakeland Highlanders *1925 Tampa Smokers *1926 Sanford Celeryfeds *1927 Orlando Colts *1928–35 Not in operation *1936 St. Augustine Saints *1937 Gainesville G-Men *1938 Gainesville G-Men *1939 Sanford Lookouts *1940 Orlando Senators *1941 Leesburg Anglers *1942–45 Not in operation *1946 Orlando Senators *1947 Gainesville G-Men *1948 Daytona Beach Islanders *1949 St. Augustine Saints *1950 DeLand Red Hats *1951 DeLand Red Hats *1952 Palatka Azaleas *1953 Daytona Beach Islanders *1954 Lakeland Pilots *1955 Orlando C.B.'s *1956 Cocoa Indians *1957 Tampa Tarpons *1958 St. Petersburg Saints *1959 St. Petersburg Saints *1960 Palatka Redlegs *1961 Tampa Tarpons *1962 Fort Lauderdale Yankees *1963 Sarasota Sun Sox *1964 Fort Lauderdale Yankees *1965 Fort Lauderdale Yankees *1966 Leesburg Athletics *1967 St. Petersburg Cardinals *1968 Orlando Twins *1969 Miami Marlins *1970 Miami Marlins *1971 Miami Orioles *1972 Miami Orioles *1973 St. Petersburg Cardinals *1974 West Palm Beach Expos *1975 St. Petersburg Cardinals *1976 Lakeland Tigers *1977 Lakeland Tigers *1978 Miami Orioles *1979 Winter Haven Red Sox *1980 Fort Lauderdale Yankees *1981 Daytona Beach Astros *1982 Fort Lauderdale Yankees *1983 Vero Beach Dodgers *1984 Fort Lauderdale Yankees *1985 Fort Myers Royals *1986 St. Petersburg Cardinals *1987 Fort Lauderdale Yankees *1988 St. Lucie Mets *1989 Charlotte Rangers *1990 Vero Beach Dodgers *1991 West Palm Beach *1992 Lakeland Tigers *1993 Clearwater Phillies *1994 Tampa Yankees *1995 Daytona Cubs *1996 St. Lucie Mets *1997 St. Petersburg Devil Rays *1998 St. Lucie Mets *1999 Kissimmee Cobras *2000 Daytona Cubs *2001 Tampa Yankees and Brevard County Manatees (co-champions) *2002 Charlotte Rangers *2003 St. Lucie Mets *2004 Daytona Cubs and Tampa Yankees (co-champions) *2005 Palm Beach Cardinals *2006 St. Lucie Mets *2007 Clearwater Threshers *2008 Daytona Cubs *2009 Tampa Yankees *2010 Tampa Yankees